Kyalo Mbobu's younger brother James Maluki (Left) and Mbobu's Mother Ann Meleve (Right) at their home in Kaumoni Village, Maiani, Mukaa Subcounty. Photo Andrew Mbuva 
By Andrew Mbuva
The family of prominent city lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, who was gunned down in Karen South on Tuesday evening by an assailant riding on a motorbike, has dismissed any speculation linking him to controversial legal dealings, insisting he was a man of integrity and a professional who dedicated his life to the law.
Speaking yesterday at their rural home in Kaumoni Village, Maiani, Mukaa Sub County, Makueni County, Mbobu’s younger brother, James Maluki, described the slain advocate as “a lawyer who never touched controversial cases.”
“Kyalo was a true professional, a committed lawyer, and someone the legal profession took pride in. He was never involved in controversial matters,” Maluki told journalists, recalling the shock of learning about his brother’s death through social media before rushing to Lee Funeral Home where the body had been taken.
Maluki recounted viewing his brother’s body and seeing bullet wounds to his chin, saying the gunmen had smashed his car window before firing several shots at close range.
Together with friends, church members and colleagues, the family ensured Mbobu’s remains were preserved with dignity.
The late Mbobu’s contribution to Kenya’s legal field was significant, having practiced for over 30 years. He was an author of the book The Law of Evidence, a lecturer at the University of Nairobi and the Kenya School of Law, and at one point served as the Chairperson of the Political Parties Tribunal.
“The legal society has lost a person of honor,” Maluki said, adding that his brother’s death was a blow not just to the family, but also to the legal fraternity.
His grieving mother, Ann Mbeleve Mbobu, broke down as she remembered her son as a dutiful family man.
“Kyalo was my second born. He took very good care of me. This has hit me so hard. I just want the government to help me get justice for my son,” she pleaded.
Villagers from Kaumoni also expressed devastation at the loss, describing Mbobu as a role model whose life was beyond reproach.
Julian Mulandi, a neighbor, said:
“This is a man we knew as straight. He never engaged in wrongdoing or bad company. He never took anyone’s property, nor was he ever linked to corruption. As a village, we have lost a son who made us proud.”
The family has appealed to the government to conduct thorough investigations into the killing, warning that the rising trend of high-profile murders risks eroding citizens’ sense of safety.
“This is a free country where citizens should not be experiencing threats as they go about their daily lives,” Maluki said.
The murder of Lawyer Mbobu has stirred outrage within legal circles, with colleagues describing him as a scholar and mentor who upheld the rule of law.
Police are yet to release findings on the motive of the killing.
